We would like to give you an update on how HCHC is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how this may affect your access to care.
We want to stress that HCHC is committed to supporting our patients and community in any way we can. We are making decisions every day about the best way to respond to this crisis while keeping our staff, our patients, and our communities as safe as possible. You can find the phone numbers for all of our sites here.
Si necesita leer este correo electrónico en español, utilice este enlace: https://www.hchcweb.org/covid-19-recursos-y-respuesta-de-hchc/
HCHC is keeping our staff, patients, and communities safe
The first priority for HCHC is the safety of its staff and patients. We have invested in new equipment, including new ways to ensure that the air in our facilities at minimum meets all federal guidelines for infection control. We have instituted new procedures, including daily staff health attestations, new check-in procedures, and new scheduling systems. All of the changes will take some time for everyone to get used to, but please be patient and understand that we have implemented them for your and your family’s safety.
Specifically, HCHC, its sites, providers, and services meet all of the required state elements for Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the state reopening. These include activities related to:
- Personal Protective Equipment and Other Essential Supplies
- Workforce Safety
- Patient Safety
- Infection Control
- Prioritization of Services
To see a signed copy of our attestation, please click here.
More Information:
Many patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding have questions about whether they should get the vaccine when they can. Your provider at HCHC will be able to answer your questions, so please call and you can find some frequently asked questions answered on Mass General Brigham’s website.
The best precaution is to regularly wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
For much more detail on prevention efforts, please visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website on Prevention and Treatment.
There are a number of behavioral health care resources for coping with fear, anxiety, and increased stress related to COVID-19:
- CDC’s web page with information and resources specifically for mental health support:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/coping.html
- Disaster distress hotline that people can call or text 24/7 to reach someone to talk to:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Hotline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. People with deafness or hearing loss can use their preferred relay service to call 1-800-985-5990.
- Anxiety prevention/ stress reduction tips:
- Resources and support for talking with children about COVID-19:
- Article from Harvard Health: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-talk-to-children-about-the-coronavirus-2020030719111
- For parents of younger children: https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-coronavirus
- A cartoon for kids of all ages: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus
For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the Mass DPH website and CDC website.
For more information please see the Center for Disease Control website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html
or Massachusetts Department of Public Health at
